5 Best Ohio LLC Services for 2025 (Formation & Help)

If you want to start a business in Ohio, you will probably need professional help. Starting an LLC in Ohio is not a big deal if you’re an experienced entrepreneur. However, if you’re a newbie and want to start a business in Ohio, you will certainly need professional help. The LLCBuddy team has made things easier for you. If you’re lost in so many services, here we are with a list.

There are a few that dominate the industry. They are competent, offer decent services at a reasonable price, and are trusted by millions of users. On this page, we shared the best LLC formation service in Ohio. Check and explore their packages and decide only after ensuring the chosen one is best fitted. We have a video for those who don’t enjoy reading long articles! Watch before you make the purchase.

Best LLC Service in Ohio

Best LLC Formation Services in Ohio

Here is the list of the best LLC services available in Ohio. The best thing about these services is starting your LLC for free. Some of the following services are offering LLC formation in Ohio at $0. Other than the state fees and charges, you do not have to pay any charges to the service provider. You will get the basic formation package for free. Now, let’s check out the list of best LLC formation service providers in Ohio-

LLC Service	Our Rating & Pricing	Top Features	Learn More
#1 TOP PICK	5/5 $0 + State Fees	Fastest filing: 1-day processing 4.8/5.0 Trustpilot & A+ BBB scores 700k+ new businesses formed	Start LLC Now
	4.5/5 $39 + State Fees	In-house corporate guides Standalone Registered Agent service DIY packages	Learn More

Below is the list of the best LLC formation services we picked for you in Ohio.

ZenBusiness – Known for its affordable packages and efficient service, ZenBusiness has become a favorite among new entrepreneurs.
Northwest Registered Agent – Praised for its top-notch customer service, Northwest ensures personalized assistance and detailed compliance guidance.
LegalZoom – With years of industry experience, LegalZoom offers comprehensive services and a vast array of legal resources.
Swyft Filings – Best for small business formation, Swyft Filings offers incredible customer support.
BetterLegal – Speed is BetterLegal’s forte, promising the fastest LLC formation process in the market.

Our Editorial Team selects these companies through thorough research and market study. It is recommended that you cross-check all the factors before choosing the right one for your business.

1. ZenBusiness

ZenBusiness is a Texas-based company that provides services from formation to annual compliance to an LLC. It offers three plans: Starter, Pro, and Premium. The Starter plan starts from $0. That means you can form your LLC for free in Ohio, though you must pay the state filing fee of $99 to the Ohio Secretary of State. But, the company charges nothing to form your business in the state.

ZenBusiness Plans

Starter Plan at $0 + state filing fee
Pro Plan at $199/year + state filing fee
Premium Plan at $299/year + state filing fee

ZenBusiness Pros and Cons

Why You Must Get ZenBusiness	Why You Should Not Get ZenBusiness
100% accuracy rate	Does not form Ohio nonprofit
Free LLC formation in Ohio	Additional cost for EIN
User friendly
Standalone Registered Agent services in Ohio

ZenBusiness Overview

ZenBusiness is one of those top-rated companies that provide business formation in Ohio at a minimum cost (currently at $0). There is no charge to be paid to the company for forming your LLC in Ohio. The state filing fee and other necessary fees must be paid, including the registered agent fee.

ZenBusiness offers three plans, among which the Pro plan is recommended. The Pro plan has everything you need to start an LLC in Ohio. Obtaining EIN, operating agreement drafting, name search, and all other services are available with the rush filing feature.

Form LLC in Ohio with ZenBusiness

2. Northwest Registered Agent

Northwest Registered Agent is a family-owned business based in Spoken, Washington state. The company offers LLC formation, registered agent service, annual compliances, and other business-related services in all 50 states, including Ohio. It offers LLC formation at $39 + state fees and registered agent service at $125 yearly.

Northwest Plans

Northwest does not have conventional packages. It offers Core, Business maintenance, and business development services. Under these categories, various services are available at a flat rate. Some of the services offered by Northwest in Ohio are listed below-

LLC formation in Ohio at $39 + state filing fee
Registered Agent at $125 yearly
Annual report filing at $100 + state filing fee
Obtaining EIN at $50
Northwest offers National Agent Service. If you operate your LLC Registered Agent in 5 or more states, you can pay $100 + state fees (if applicable) to get a single agent for all states.

Northwest Registered Agent Pros and Cons

Why You Must Get Northwest	Why You Should Not Get Northwest
DIY Packages for your LLC in Ohio	Not BBB accredited
No plans, flat rate for all services	You must form Ohio LLC to purchase only the service you need.
You must form Ohio LLC to purchase only the service you need.	The operating agreement draft is not included in the Core services
Northwest offers a standalone Registered Agent service in Ohio

Northwest Registered Agent Overview

Northwest is one of those service providers that offer DIY packages. Northwest is not for you if you want a wholesome formation package in Ohio. It does not have conventional LLC formation packages. It is simply like a departmental store for you. You don’t need to buy everything, but the only thing you need.

Northwest has in-house corporate guides to guide you through the formation process. It offers LLC formation at $39 plus the state filing fee ($125). If you have already formed your LLC in Ohio and are willing to appoint a Registered Agent only, then Northwest can provide a standalone registered agent service at $125 per year.

Northwest offers single flat rates for all services in Ohio and other states. The best part about the company is it does not outsource any of its services. Northwest offers corporate guides to help you through the steps of LLC formation.

Form LLC in Ohio with Northwest Registered Agent

3. LegalZoom

LegalZoom is one of the service providers in Ohio that offers free LLC formation services. If you want to avoid spending money to form your LLC, then LegalZoom is for you. It offers various formation packages that include all types of LLC services. Aside from LLC formation, LegalZoom offers C and S Corp formation. With over thousands of customers, the company offers basic LLC formation services at $0.

LegalZoom Plans

Basic Package- $0 + State Filing Fees (Tax deduction may be applicable)
Pro Package – $249 + State Filing Fees (Tax deductible may be applicable)
Premium Package – $279 + State Filing Fees (Tax deduction may be applicable)

Apart from these packages, LegalZoom offers a bunch of add-on services as well. Add-on services include the following-

Registered Agent – $299 per year. Available as an add-on and not included in any packages
Trademark registration: Assisting with the US trademark application process
Copyright registration: Guidance on registering copyrights for creative works
Patent services: Support in obtaining utility, design, and plant patents
Estate planning: Offering personalized wills, trusts, and power of attorney documents
Legal advice: Access to a network of lawyers for consultations and legal guidance
Expedited Filing: With an additional $99, you can speed up your filing process.

LegalZoom Pros and Cons

Why You Must Get LegalZoom	Why You Shouldn’t Get LegalZoom
Free LLC formation	Expensive add-ons, such as Registered Agent
Trustworthy and established reputation	Higher pricing compared to some competitors
Quick turnaround time	Fewer add-on options
Access to legal professionals	Some additional fees not included in plan prices
Customer support is available through phone or chat	Mixed customer reviews

LegalZoom Overview

LegalZoom is one of the oldest companies in the USA. This company is a service provider offering LLC formation at $0. It offers three broad packages, Basic, Pro, and Premium. The Basic package costs $0. However, you must pay the Ohio filing fee while filing the Articles of Organization with the Ohio Secretary of State. The filing fee depends on which method, mail, online, or any other method you choose.

LegalZoom offers vast add-ones like others. Hence, the chances of getting diverse services are comparatively high. The best part about the company is that it has access to legal documents and legal consultations. The registered agent service is a bit expensive. If you want to hire a Registered Agent from LegalZoom, you must purchase that service separately; it does not come with any formation plans.

Form LLC in Ohio with LegalZoom

4. Swyft Filings

An online business formation service, Swyft Filings, is popular among budding entrepreneurs for its customer support and quick document processing. The company offers three types of formation plans for diverse benefits. Swyft Filings, like other close competitors, offers LLC formation at $0. Swyft Filings is an appropriate service for small businesses in Ohio.

Swyft Filings Plans

Basic Plan at $0 + State filing fee
Standard Plan at $199 + State filing fee
Premium Plan at $299 + State filing fee

Swyft Filings Pros and Cons

Why to Choose Swyft Filings	Why Not to Choose Swyft Filings
Free LLC Formation ($0 + state filing fee)	Non-transparent cost, expensive add-ons
Quick processing time	Registered Agent is not included in any plans
Smooth customer support
Good for small business

Swyft Filings Overview

Swyft Filings is one of the services that are known best for a small business. It offers LLC formation at $0 and a 10-day processing and expedited option. However, they don’t include registered agent service with any of its packages. Besides, once you proceed to check out after selecting your package, many add-ons appear, leading to a bigger amount.

Swyft Filings offers three broad packages, Basic, Standard, and Premium, along with many expensive add-ons. Compared to other competitors, Swyft Filings’ add-ons are a bit expensive. If you want to start a small business (LLC, S-Corp, Corporation, Nonprofit, etc), Swyft Filings has everything you need.

Form an LLC in Ohio with Swyft Filings

5. BetterLegal

BetterLegal is a comparatively new company compared to other competitors. However, this company has successfully grabbed a large portion of the market in the United States. Serving in 51 states, BetterLegal has been in business since 2016. Unlike other experienced companies, it does not have a list of packages and plans for LLC formation.

BetterLegal Plans

BetterLegal offers one single plan at a flat $299 + state filing fees. It has a list of add-on services as well. BetterLegal is an online service that started off with a very small team. However, even after being in the business for so long, they didn’t increase their team size much. They have transparent pricing, and no hidden charge exists for any services they provide.

BetterLegal offers a list of add-on services. Following are the additional services they offer-

Registered Agent service – $10/month or $90/year
State Annual compliance services – $10/month or $90/year
Permit & License Search Service – $125
Amendment & document research – Free with the core formation service package

BetterLegal Pros and Cons

Why You Must Get BetterLegal	Why You Shouldn’t Get BetterLegal
No refund; all sales are final	The basic package does not include a registered agent service
Quick Turnaround time	Additional charge for EIN
A+ BBB Accredited	The basic package does not include a registered agent service
Single plan for all incorporation

BetterLegal Overview

Even though the company is called BetterLegal, no attorneys or legal services are available. The company offers a single plan for all types of business formation. Hence, if you are planning to form a corporation, you can pay $299 + incorporation fee ($99 for online and by mail filing in Ohio). It offers comparatively better turnaround time at a reasonable price than other companies. You can file your LLC within 10 minutes with BetterLegal.

It offers a resource center for new entrepreneurs. They provide guidance to make things easier when it comes to filing your business. Their small team sometimes fails to cater to their customers on time. Reaching out to their customer support team is very difficult. Another disadvantage is it does not have a refund policy. All sales with BetterLegal are final, and at any stage, no refund is made upon cancelation. However, basic LLC formation and registered agent services are much cheaper in BetterLegal than in other close competitors.

Form LLC in Ohio with BetterLegal

How to Form an LLC in Ohio

Forming an LLC in Ohio takes a few steps. The first step is to get a clear idea about doing business in Ohio. Before jumping into the pool of paperwork, make sure you have a thorough knowledge of taxes and the costs of starting any business in Ohio.

In general, Ohio, popularly known as The Buckeye State, is a business-friendly state with a population of 11,878,330. The state has the nominal GDP is 829,594 (in millions). Hence, you can start any small or medium-sized business in Ohio based on your budget. Forming an LLC in Ohio can be a good option as it is less complicated than other forms of business. If you choose the state capital, Columbus, to start your LLC, you might get more tax and other benefits.

There are five most important steps to follow when you establish an LLC in Ohio:

Step 1: Give a name to the LLC: Make sure the name is available to use in Ohio. You can also get a DBA.
Step 2: Get a Registered Agent in Ohio. The person will be responsible for all communications between your LLC and the State.
Step 3: File the Ohio Articles of Organization.
Step 4: Draft an LLC operating agreement in Ohio.
Step 5: Get an EIN in Ohio

Now, these steps seem to be easy. But unfortunately, it is not that simple. Each business has to file different documents based on local licenses and permits. From January 1, 2024, all the LLCs and Corporations have to file the BOI Report with the FinCEN. If you start an LLC, you must file the BOI Report in Ohio.

You can do that on your own. However, getting a professional on board is always recommended to guide you through the process. These steps are crucial and sensitive. You must complete everything to avoid canceling your formation process. Hence, having a professional LLC formation service for your LLC is better.

How to Choose the Best LLC Formation Service in Ohio

It is important to choose the best service for your business carefully. Before you select the best one, make sure you thoroughly research the following points-

Reputation: Look for a company with a good reputation. Check reviews and ratings from previous clients to see how they feel about the services offered.
Experience: Choose a company with years of LLC formation experience. This ensures that they have knowledge of the process and can provide quality services.
Cost: Compare prices between different companies. Choose a company that offers affordable pricing for the services you need.
Customer Service: Ensure that the company has good customer service. They should be responsive, helpful, and willing to answer any questions.
Services Offered: Look for a company that offers a range of services, including entity formation, registered agent services, and ongoing compliance support to ensure your LLC remains in good standing.
Ease of Use: Choose a company with a user-friendly website and easy-to-use online platform. This makes the process of forming an LLC simple and straightforward.
Guarantees: Check if the company offers a satisfaction guarantee or a refund policy. This gives you peace of mind that you are getting the best possible service.

FAQs

What is the best LLC formation service in Ohio?

The best LLC formation service in Ohio will vary depending on individual needs and preferences.

What factors should I consider when choosing an LLC formation service in Ohio?

Factors to consider when choosing an LLC formation service in Ohio include price, services offered, customer reviews, and experience.

Are there any specific requirements for forming an LLC in Ohio?

Yes, there are specific requirements for forming an LLC in Ohio, such as submitting articles of organization to the Secretary of State.

How much does it cost to form an LLC in Ohio?

The cost of forming an LLC in Ohio can vary, but typically includes a filing fee with the Secretary of State.

Can I form an LLC in Ohio on my own, or do I need to use a formation service?

You can form an LLC in Ohio on your own, but many people choose to use an LLC formation service for convenience and peace of mind.

What are some reputable LLC formation services in Ohio?

Some reputable LLC formation services in Ohio include LegalZoom, Incfile, and Swyft Filings.

How long does it take to form an LLC in Ohio?

The timeline for forming an LLC in Ohio can vary depending on the LLC formation service used and how quickly all required documents are submitted.

Do I need an Ohio resident to serve as a registered agent for my LLC?

Yes, every LLC formed in Ohio is required to appoint a registered agent who is an Ohio resident or a business entity authorized to do business in Ohio.

What is a registered agent, and what is their role in an LLC in Ohio?

A registered agent in Ohio is responsible for accepting legal documents and official correspondence on behalf of the LLC.

Can I change the registered agent for my Ohio LLC after formation?

Yes, the registered agent for an Ohio LLC can be changed at any time by filing a Statement of Resignation of Agent and subsequent appointment of another agent.

What are the best LLC formation services in Ohio?

Some of the best LLC formation services in Ohio include ZenBusiness, Incfile, and LegalZoom.

Is hiring an LLC formation service in Ohio necessary?

While it is not required by law to hire an LLC formation service in Ohio, many business owners find it helpful due to the complexity of the process.

How much does it cost to use an LLC formation service in Ohio?

The cost of using an LLC formation service in Ohio can vary depending on the provider and the level of service needed. Prices can range from $50 to $500 or more.

Can I form an LLC in Ohio on my own?

Yes, you can form an LLC in Ohio on your own by filing the necessary paperwork with the Secretary of State. However, many people choose to use an LLC formation service for assistance.

Are there any benefits to using an LLC formation service in Ohio?

Using an LLC formation service in Ohio can save you time, ensure that paperwork is filed correctly, and provide assistance with business compliance.

Can I form an LLC in Ohio if I live in a different state?

Yes, you can form an LLC in Ohio even if you live in a different state. You will need a registered agent with an Ohio address to receive legal documents.

What is the difference between an LLC formation service in Ohio and a registered agent service?

An LLC formation service in Ohio helps you set up your LLC, while a registered agent service provides you with a physical address in Ohio for legal correspondence.

Can an LLC formation service in Ohio help with obtaining an EIN?

Yes, many LLC formation services in Ohio offer assistance with obtaining an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS for your business.

Do I need to have a physical address in Ohio to form an LLC there?

No, you do not need to have a physical address in Ohio to form an LLC there. You can use a registered agent service with an Ohio address.

What are the advantages of using an LLC formation service in Ohio?

LLC formation services in Ohio can help simplify the process, ensure compliance with state regulations, and provide assistance with ongoing maintenance requirements.

How much does it cost to hire an LLC formation service in Ohio?

The cost of hiring an LLC formation service in Ohio can vary depending on the company you choose and the specific services you require.

Can an LLC formation service help me with naming my business in Ohio?

Yes, many LLC formation services in Ohio can assist with searching and reserving a unique business name that complies with state regulations.

Do I need to be a resident of Ohio to form an LLC there?

No, you do not need to be a resident of Ohio to form an LLC in the state.

What is the annual maintenance requirement for an LLC in Ohio?

In Ohio, LLCs are required to file an annual report with the Secretary of State and pay a filing fee to maintain compliance.

Can I change the name of my LLC in Ohio after it’s been formed?

Yes, you can change the name of your LLC in Ohio by filing an amendment with the Secretary of State.

Do I need an operating agreement for my Ohio LLC?

While not required by law, it is highly recommended to have an operating agreement for your Ohio LLC to outline ownership rights, management structure, and operating procedures.

Are there any ongoing compliance requirements for Ohio LLCs?

Yes, Ohio LLCs are required to file an annual report and pay a filing fee to the Secretary of State to maintain compliance.

Can an LLC formation service help me with obtaining an EIN for my Ohio LLC?

Yes, many LLC formation services in Ohio can assist with obtaining an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS for your LLC.

What is the difference between a domestic LLC and a foreign LLC in Ohio?

A domestic LLC is formed in Ohio, while a foreign LLC is formed in another state but wishes to do business in Ohio.

Can I form an LLC in Ohio if I already have one in another state?

Yes, you can form a foreign LLC in Ohio if you already have an LLC registered in another state.

Conclusion

Starting a business in Ohio is a big step. It’s really helpful to have experts on your side. When you use a professional LLC service, you’re making sure everything is done right without any headaches. We’ve given you a list of the top choices in this article. Take your time to look at each one. Check their prices, see what they offer, and think about what’s best for your business.

Remember, picking the right Ohio LLC service can make things smoother and better for your business as it grows. If you want the best for your business, check out ZenBusiness. They’re our number one recommendation for their compelling offer of $0 + state fee for LLC formation, combined with an impressive array of 5-star Trustpilot reviews. Seize this exceptional opportunity for your business!